New Zealander Captures Eerie Image of Sunken Soviet Cruise Ship
Travel Blog • Michael Yessis • 02.27.06 | 6:06 AM ET
Ghostly, isn’t it? Ken Grange of New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research used an ultrasound device to capture this image of the ill-fated Soviet Union cruise liner the Mikhail Lermontov, which sank more than 20 years ago in New Zealand’s Marlborough Sounds. The ship was the largest cruise liner to sink since Titanic, and is now a popular dive spot as well as a magnet for conspiracy theorists who believe the ship may have been used as a spy vessel by the Soviets.
The New Zealand Herald recently ran a story chronicling the night of the sinking and its aftermath, including speculation that Russia’s current president, Vladimir Putin, then reportedly stationed in Wellington at the Soviet Embassy, was on hand with the ship’s captain during court appearances.
If, like me, you’re not too familiar with the saga of the Mikhail Lermontov, it’s a good read.
Email to friend
Twitter
del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Furl
Ma.gnolia
Mixx
Reddit
StumbleUpon
Yahoo! Buzz
Michael Yessis is the cofounder and coeditor-in-chief of World Hum.
Kelsey 03.01.06 | 1:52 AM ET
Personally, I think Kiwis feel somewhat isolated from the world of espionage. It seems that every sunk ship in the country has got a similar story. Well actually ,I only no of one other - the Rainbow Warrior - so my theory may be full of holes.